shearer



Patented Jan. 3|, 1899.

.L A. SHEARER. FOLDING TUB OR SIMILAR VESSEL.

(Ap lication filed A r. 13; was.)

(No Model.)

INVENTOI? ATTORNEYS "WITNESSES 1H: nouns mins 00. wmaurno. WASNINGYON.n. c

JOHN A. SI-IEARER, OF LANGLEY, CANADA.

FOLDING TUB OR SIMILAR VESSEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,442, dated January31, 1899.

Application filed April 13, 1898. Serial No. 677,412. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN A. SHEARER, of Langley, in the Province ofBritish Oolum bia, Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and ImprovedFolding Tub or Similar Vessel, (for which application for Letters Patentin Canada was filed on the 24th day of February, 1898,) of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in the construction of tubs,pails, and similar vessels; and it consists in constructing them offlexible fabric placed on a metal frame of such a nature that the vesselmay be collapsed or folded.

The invention also consists of the novel features of construction, whichwill be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a tub extended or in conditionfor use. Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing the tub collapsed orfolded. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation of the tub, and Fig. 4 isa perspective view of a pail constructed on the same principle.

My invention is intended for use in countries where transportation ofsuch articles as tubs, pails, or the like is extremely difficult andspace and weight are material elements in the transportation.

A tub or pail constructed according to In device has the body or walls Athereof formed of canvas, rubber, or some form of flexible fabric whichis sufiicientl y waterproof for the purpose to which it is to be put.This body 40 is placed upon a frame which preferably is made of metaland which may be extended when the tub or pail is desired for use and soconstructed that the frame may be 001- lapsed to occupy small space whendesired.

Around the upper margin of the tub, pail, or other vessel is a ring 0,of wire or whatever material is found suitable for the purpose. Thisring is inclosed withinawelt or hem a, formed in the upper edge of thecan- 5'0 vas A, forming the sides of the tub. At the bottom of the tubis another ring E, similar to the ring C and inclosed in a welt b. The

ring E is of larger diameter than the lower end of the tub, andconsequently projects outside of the same, as clearly shown in Figs. 1and 3. The bottom B is formed by a piece of canvas which is stitched tothe body A.

At suitable intervals in the circumference of the tub or other vesselvertical ribs D are pivoted upon the upper ring 0. These ribs have eyes61 formed at their upper ends adapted to embrace the ring 0. At thispoint the canvas is protected by a clip F, formed of thin sheet metaland bent overthe ring 0, so as to hold the canvas close thereto. F mayhave a slot therein adapted to receive the eye 01, or the eye 61 mayentirely embrace the clip. In either case a hole is to be formed throughthe clip and the canvas, so that the eye at may enter therein and permitthe rib D to swing upward into the position shown in Fig. 2. Thereshould be not less than three of these ribs and as many more as desired.As shown in the drawings, four of these ribs are employed. At theirlower ends these ribs are provided with an outward bend d, adapted toengage the upper surface of the ring E. The ends of the ribs are thenbent back and upward, forming a hook 01 by which they may be engaged tospring them into place or to pull them out of place. These ribs serve tosupport the upper ring 0, and thus to hold the tub in its extendedposition.

In some cases it would be desirable to protect the canvas surroundingthe lower ring E from wear on its under side. For this purpose a ring gof thin sheet metal is made of practically the same diameter as the ringE and has its outer edge crimped over the ring E, and thus serves as aprotection to the canvas. To this ring may be secured a series of lugsor feet Gr, whichare preferably made of rubber or similar material andprovided with grooves G, adapted to receive the lower ends of the ribsD. This prevents any side motion of the lower ends of the ribs, and thusmakes the tub firmer. The tub may be provided with handles H, such asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, formed of wire rods bent into suitable form andhaving eyes in their ends adapted. to embrace the ring 0.

In Fig. 4 the same principle is shown as applied to a pail. In this casethe handles H The clip are omitted and a bail 11' is substitutedtherefor. This bail is secured to the tub by means of links 7L,connecting the ends of the bail with the upper ring 0. The constructionis otherwise the same as that described for the tub.

This method of construction will producea tub, basket, pail, or similarvessel which is very light and which may be collapsed so as to occupyvery small space. For some purposes and in some sections of the countrythis will be very desirable. The article may be made thoroughlywaterproof and so that it will wear well and its cost will not be great.It may also be made of finer material and used as a receptacle for anyarticle desired.

Ilaving thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. A folding tub, pailor similar vessel,comprising two stiffening-rings surrounding the upper and lower endsthereof, a fabric forming the walls of the vessel and secured to saidrings, the lower ring being of larger diameter than the body of thevessel and the fabric having a hem or welt extending outward from thebody at its lower end and receiving the lower ring, and ribs pivotedupon the upper ring and having theirlower ends bent to form shoulders orhooks adapted to engage the upper side of the lower ring, to hold thetwo rings shoulders or hooks adapted to engage the upper side of thelower ring, to hold the two rings separated, and lugs secured to thelower ring and having a recess therein adaptedto restrain the lower endsof the ribs against side motion.

J OHN A. SHEARER. XV itnesses ALEXANDER HENDERSON, C. S. KEITH.

